Arthritis Dogs Rimadyl the Wonder Drug?
If Your Dog Suffers From Arthritis, Consider The Natural Alternative:
Rimadyl was hailed as a wonder arthritis treatment for pets when it came on the market in 1997. Over the next 3 years, due largely to an aggressive marketing campaign by the manufacturer, Pfizer, Rimadyl was prescribed for 5 million dogs.
But
it hadn't been thoroughly tested. According to statistics compiled by
the FDA (Food And Drug Administration), in 1997 alone, Rimadyl was implicated
in 30 per cent of all veterinary adverse drug reaction reports received!
Side effects included gastrointestinal, renal and liver problems, and
death. Within those first three years, 10,000 dog owners had reported
an adverse reaction to Rimadyl, and there were at least 1,500 deaths or
euthanasias attributed to the drug. And it is generally accepted that
many adverse reactions are not reported, so the real statistics are likely
to be significantly higher.
You may remember the Rimadyl ads depicting older dogs bouncing around
like puppies. Those dogs were the lucky ones. And of course, the success
stories were many, and they were amazing. But you no longer see those
Rimadyl ads, do you?
Is there a realistic alternative to Rimadyl? One that provides such a marked improvement without the possible side effects? Or should you take the risk that your dog won't develop side effects to Rimadyl?
The
good news is that Glucosamine, a natural sugar produced by the body and
found in some foods, plays an important role in the production, maintenance
and repair of cartilage. Supplementation with Glucosamine can therefore
provide not only the pain relieving effects of Rimadyl, but also helps
maintain existing healthy joint tissue and aid in rebuilding healthy new
cartilage.
Should Rimadyl be removed from the market altogether? No - there are certainly
some cases where its use may be warranted - severe cases of arthritis
which have been left untreated, or which have not responded to Glucosamine
or other treatments. The results can be very worthwhile.
But
it should never be given to a dog with pre-existing liver or kidney problems.
Your dog should be tested for these conditions before being prescribed
Rimadyl. Many vets do not do this unless you ask for it specifically.
And many vets do not advise that there is a natural arthritis treatment
for dogs available. Not because it's ineffective, but just because many
vets, like doctors, are trained to treat symptoms with drugs. And the
drug companies have huge budgets for pushing the benefits of their medications,
both for humans and animals. It doesn't necessarily mean that the drugs
are better than the natural alternatives.
So ask for Glucosamine, unless your vet can give you a compelling reason
why your dog should use Rimadyl. And you don't even need a prescription!
For information on the most powerful Glucosamine formula, and why a liquid Glucosamine is by far superior to powder or tablet forms, click here: http://www.HealthyHappyDogs.com/NaturalArthritisTreatment
(c) 2004, Brigitte Smith, Healthy Happy Dogs
Brigitte Smith is a dog owner and dog lover (probably just like you!), with a special interest in dog health, and in particular holistic health.
If optimal health can be achieved and maintained, then this can actually lengthen the life of your dog!
So Brigitte's aim is to bring you strategies, tips and information for improving and maintaining the health of your dog by a combination of the best diet, nutritional supplementation, training, general care with a view to sustaining great health (which should reduce the need for trips to the vet), and general wellbeing.
http://www.HealthyHappyDogs.com